


the journey home

by freedomatsea



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2016-05-03
Packaged: 2018-06-06 06:17:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6742618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freedomatsea/pseuds/freedomatsea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>set during 5x21 "last rights" after their goodbyes in 5x20 "firebird".</p>
            </blockquote>





	the journey home

**Author's Note:**

> Just a fun little theory that I discussed today with my dearest friend Tricia.

Killian stared up the elevator shaft until his vision blurred completely with tears.

He hadn’t had much _hope_ when they’d made the journey down, but the discovery that they were – in fact – True Love had given him a few fleeting moments of hope.

But the fates had other plans in mind, clearly – tearing them away from each other. It made sense to him, unfortunately. He’d been dead too long to be saved. The fact that Emma had come down to save him had given them a few more precious minutes together. More than they’d ever been meant to have.

Emma had been so hopeful and he hadn’t wanted to squash that hope. That was the last thing he wanted to do. He wanted the pain to be as minimal as possible for her. She didn’t deserve a new set of walls because of him. He wanted her to have a long, happy life – even if he wasn’t living it beside her.

He would never love another the way he’d loved her and he hoped, greedily, that she’d never love someone as much as she loved him. That she’d never go to the ends of the earth for another man. She’d told him to move on – to cross into the light – but he didn’t want to go without her.

The Underworld seemed somehow bleaker without Emma. Their house – filled with empty promises of what the future could have been – was a hard pill to swallow. He couldn’t go back there. He couldn’t face the rooms full of children’s toys that Emma had never played with and future children never would either. Going back there would be a different sort of torture, a life unfulfilled.

Despite something _terrible_ always happening during their relationship, he had humored the idea of asking her to marry him some day (in between dragon attacks and curses) and planning out a future full of children and happiness.

Sitting around and mourning the loss of his future with Emma wasn’t his style. He was a man of action. Emma and her family might be safe and gone, but he refused to give up hope. He wouldn’t let the weight of the Underworld weigh him down. He’d fight until the day Emma joined him.

***

His journey _home_ had been wholly unexpected at every turn. Zeus… Arthur… Henry’s Underworld storybook. He had been convinced that his journey would end in a disastrous fashion, but the fates seemingly _were_ in his favor after all.

Emma stood before him, hunched forward as she cried over a grave – _his_ grave. He was frozen for a long moment before he cleared his throat. “I surely hope you didn’t waste good rum.” He remarked easily.

Killian flashed her a charming grin as she spun around – her eyes wide with shock as she met his gaze.

“ _Killian_?”

“In the flesh.” He grinned even brighter, holding his arms out a little. “And not moldering flesh either.” Killian chuckled softly.

“This can’t be real.” Emma whispered, stepping towards him cautiously. “I’ve lost my mind haven’t I?”

Killian shook his head, “No, you haven’t.” He held his hand out for her. “It’s a long story which I will _gladly_ tell you after this reunion.” He drawled out, pulling her into his arms. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, burying her face into the crook of his neck. He wasn’t sure if it was her tears or his that fell softly against his chest hair. All he knew was that he was _home_.

He cradled the back of her head, turning his head to kiss her temple. “Would you believe I had to work alongside the bastard that got us into this mess to begin with?”

Emma pulled back with an incredulous expression. “ _Arthur_?”

“New King of the Underworld right there.” He laughed heartily, shaking his head. “Cruella will surely enjoy that.”

She shuddered. “I don’t even want to think of that.” Emma lifted her hands to cup his cheeks. “This is permanent right? I’m not going to lose you again?”

Killian nodded with a crooked grin, “I’m afraid you’re stuck with me this time.”

Emma rose up on her toes and kissed him soundly on the lips. “ _Good_.”

He smiled against her lips, before turning his gaze towards the other fresh grave. “I believe I missed quite a lot.” His expression fell into a sobering frown. “How’s she’s holding up.”

“Surprisingly well.” Emma shrugged, “She has Zelena to help her cope. Which is a twisted situation, but apparently it works.” She shook her head a little. “Did you see him down there?”

Killian gave a little shake of his head. “I didn’t. I was preoccupied with getting back to you, _babe_.” He teased, recalling the comment she’d made back in Camelot. That felt like a lifetime ago. “You know what I could use right now? Grilled cheese.”

Emma laughed brightly, brushing over the hair that rested on his forehead. “Then let’s go get some grilled cheese.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “I haven’t eaten much, actually.” She took his hand into hers and he laced their fingers together.

“Grilled cheese and onion rings it is then.”


End file.
